Television can be a distraction when the camera work is too fiddly. The New Year's Concerts from Vienna and many proms are spoilt by irritating flashed looks at plasterwork, flowers and, in the case of the latter, flying saucers. Or there are the long looks at musicians who are doing nothing and looming dives into a nostril.
And accidents do happen. The most unfortunate was a few days after a showing of "The Arthur Haynes Show" when the brilliant comedian (in his weekly guise as the annoying tramp who sits next to you on a park bench when your are eating you packed lunch) just shocked his straight man, Nicholas Parsons, by blowing his his nose into a grubby handchief and then wiping his face. The televised concert later that week was of Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. At the end of of the third movement the camera peered into Lorin Maazel's sweaty face as he blew his nose then wiped his brow. Oh dear.
The BBCSSO have a good idea with their fixed cameras in their Glasgow hall which enable them to download concerts with a minimum of fancy camera work. These appear occasionally on their page on the BBC website.
And accidents do happen. The most unfortunate was a few days after a showing of "The Arthur Haynes Show" when the brilliant comedian (in his weekly guise as the annoying tramp who sits next to you on a park bench when your are eating you packed lunch) just shocked his straight man, Nicholas Parsons, by blowing his his nose into a grubby handchief and then wiping his face. The televised concert later that week was of Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. At the end of of the third movement the camera peered into Lorin Maazel's sweaty face as he blew his nose then wiped his brow. Oh dear.
The BBCSSO have a good idea with their fixed cameras in their Glasgow hall which enable them to download concerts with a minimum of fancy camera work. These appear occasionally on their page on the BBC website.
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